Every November 11, we honour those who risked or lost their lives defending their country. Rarely acknowledged in these annual commemorations are those who served honourably but were nevertheless dishonoured because of their sexuality.

Canada sure has a long, long way to go: The Canadian Navy has 8,500 personnel. The American navy has 317,000. Of course, the United States patrols the world, while Canada's navy patrols its own jurisdiction. But even so, the gap is not only noticeable but embarrassing.

We had no submarines in WWII, but still sank 27 U-boats. Post war, we bought Oberon class subs from the British, which again, had difficulty functioning properly. Most were decommissioned soon after purchase. The Onondaga, last of the Oberons, was sold for a pittance to become a museum in Rimouski.